DAMAGE BY SLUGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 190, 14 August 1940, Page 6

DAMAGE BY SLUGS

MARTON DISTRICT PASTURES REMEDY RECOMMENDED Several farmers in the Marton district have found large areas of autumn sown grass completely bare of grass and clover, while portions of the paddocks have shown a satisfactory strike. No satisfactory explanation of the failure of the seed to come away on large irregular areas was apparent. The trouble was referred to the Department of Agriculture and tc the Grassland Research Station, at Palmerston North.

The director of the latter station Mr. E. B. Levy, who made a personal investigation of one of the areas, found that the damage was due to a' remarkable infestation with slugs. Slugs in millions were found particularly concentrated on the Border between the areas devoid of all growth and the parts of the paddock still showing a satisfactory strike of younggrass and clovers. The slugs have done the damage in paddocks sown to grass last autumn after a crop, such as wheat or peas. The wet summer was favourable to the slugs, which would lay eggs in. masses in the crops, particularly if lodging had occurred. The eggs, ploughed under and protected, would hatch out in the autumn, since when the slugs have had a free hand, travelling across the paddocks of young grass, cleaning up the seedlings as they go. In one case as much as 4C Seres ot a hundred-acre paddeck has been cleaned up. In others similar proportions of young grass have been destroyed. The remedy recommended is to apply immediately from 5-Scwt. per I acre of freshly burnt lime to the whole paddock, and to resow the area eaten out. The burnt lime, if i applied in dry weather, will destroy | the slugs and prevent further damage.